Relevance of Criminology Theories to Modern Crimes and Debates - Coursework Example

Running head: Relevance of criminology theories to modern crimes and debates Your name Course name Professors’ name Date Part A Question A 4 Introduction Over the years, scientists have attempted to come up with theories to understand the dynamics of crimes and how they happen. In this discussion, we will bring into perspective issues surrounding situational crime prevention and how it came into being. It has been noted that the fight against crime cannot be successful unless the legal authority and citizens are in collaboration. For this reason, we will look at the role of citizens in the fight against crime. Situational crime prevention Situational crime prevention entails, minimizing the chances that people have to commit crime. In this technique, emphasis is put on building plans that make it difficult for one to commit a crime. This includes improving locks in buildings or in ones house. In addition, buildings and their surroundings are well -lit for this system to be effective. Increasing surveillance such as use of CCTV cameras and installing alarms, make certain places accessible to authorized persons only (Siegel 2009).In this way the cost and risk of committing a crime are increased. Consciously or subconsciously, our everyday life presents us with situations where we are constantly trying to reduce the occurrence of crimes. When building our homes or business premises, security is a major priority. We endeavor to make them as safe as possible by installing security systems such as surveillance cameras, burglary alarms, doors that are reinforced hence difficult to break into or thumb screening that allows access of certain persons only. CCTV cameras are installed in almost all buildings and major streets to improve the security system. In this way situational crime prevention becomes an example of criminology’s of everyday life. Due to the increasing rates of crime, it becomes overwhelming for the law enforcement authorities to combat crime. It is for this reason that the fight against crime has been taken a notch higher to include communities. In this way, neighborhood watches are encouraged whereby individuals in a common neighborhood are charged with the responsibility of security in their surroundings. Neighbors are on the lookout for any suspicious behavior which is reported to the law enforcement authorities. Citizens have also been encouraged to take up roles in crime prevention. This includes simple duties such as locking doors and windows, avoiding areas that are dark or bushy especially when one is alone. Other methods include taking up self defense lessons which can come in handy when attacked by a criminal. As demonstrated by Sherman (2002) public awareness forums have been organized by the government to educate the public on situations that are likely to result to crime and what actions to take when faced by such situations. What is the basis of situational crime prevention? According to Harold and Kitchen (2002), situational crime prevention is embedded on the principals of rational choice theory which imply that peoples’ views of situations vary but are normally rational. It continues to state that before a criminal commits a crime they analyze the costs, benefits and risks factors of taking such a decision. In this theory if the cost and risk involved in a criminal act are higher than the rewards, chances of the offender committing the crime are reduced. It is the situation surrounding a possible criminal act that is primary to this theory as opposed to the psychological state, sociological state or incentive of the offender to commit crime. A crime therefore occurs due to favorable environmental factors such as poor building designs, insufficient surveillance and poor lighting. By increasing the effort needed to commit crime (targeted areas made difficult to access), the risks (severe punishment) involved and reducing the benefits the environment becomes less profitable to commit a crime. This is the basis of situational crime prevention (Lanier & Henry 2010). Conclusion Occurrences of situational crimes to a certain extent are our own making. This is because if we increased the effort and risks needed to access targeted places, it would make accessibility difficult for criminals based on the cost benefit analysis. When citizens and communities actively play their roles in crime prevention we can experience the reduction of crimes. However new technological advancement are needed as criminals are coming up with counter measures rendering the existing ones inefficient to some extent. This can be seen in banks where surveillance cameras, alarm systems and reinforced doors are present but crime is still prevalent in such places. Part B Question B 2 Introduction In the past, crimes against the environment were given minimal attention. In contemporary societies, the effects of environment degradation over the years have come into effect hence the need for immediate attention. The issue of the environment cannot be left entirely on a certain community, country or individual because it affects the world as a whole. In these discussion we will look at examples of environmental crimes, how they affect us and the future of environmental crime. Is there need for a green criminology? Carrabine et al. (2009) claim that unfavorable climatic conditions resulting from increase in temperatures and rise in sea levels could in future see rise in wars over limited resources of food and water, increase in the number of refugees fleeing their countries or violence in response to polluters. It is only recently that overexploitation of the earth’s resources has come to be acknowledged as crimes against the environment (green crimes). Environment degradation has been accelerated by the rise in modern technology which can be attributed to the pollution effects it results to. Industrialization and invention of nuclear weapons pose a threat to all forms of life in our planet giving rise to new forms of crime (green crimes). Every year, the earth loses about 7 million hectares of productive land as a result of soil degradation and 10 million hectares of forest land due to human interference. This means that less fertile land is available for farming while more food is needed to sustain the increasing population. Increased cases of green crimes can also be attributed to governments and companies that defy set rules that regulate activities in the environment. Industries can produce toxic wastes that are harmful to the environment; in addition some are involved in illegal disposition of such wastes in the international trade. Green crimes do not affect a certain population as seen from the above discussion; it is a global issue that needs in depth analysis. There is need for green criminology to examine different forms of crime against the environment, how to regulate it and exploit issues not comprehended. Environmental laws exist but are executed inconsistently (Bricknell 2010). In international treaties, conflicts often arise when enforcing laws as people will always fight for the limited environmental resources thereby abusing such laws and engaging in corruption in order escape the law. This calls for green criminology to identify such gaps, varieties of green crimes and their differences and come up with policies to address them. Can our existing analysis of ‘crimes of the powerful’ adequately explain environmental crimes? Considering criminology history, we realize that the changes in crimes have been explained by existing theories of crime which have been reshaped to accommodate the new perspectives that were omitted. One such example is the feminist approach. It is important to note that in this discussion invention of new crimes does not mean that the past is done away with. When analyzing ‘crimes of the powerful’, we note that there are some similarities to the environmental crimes. In both cases they are more often committed by governments and large corporations hence difficult to prosecute due to corruption and political complexities involved, there are different varieties in both cases and both have increased due to social changes. Due to these similarities, existing analysis and research to a certain extent can be used in both cases. Wakefield (2009), environmental crimes have other unique dynamics that prompt the need for new lines in criminology analysis. Such includes the difficulty in prosecuting cases involving crimes against the environment as it is difficult to identify and prove like the ‘knowing intent ‘as opposed to ‘crimes of the powerful’ which in recent years have been easy to identify and prosecute. In addition, environmental crimes have the unique quality of being a global issue which has not been addressed in existing research, they may entail cross nations negotiations which may lead to disagreements. Other dynamics include difficulty in detecting the crime with the human senses, toxic pollution as an example requires new types of expertise. Conclusion Environmental crime is a global issue whose effects are likely to be felt far and wide thereby facilitating the need for green criminology. In many courts of law, green crimes have often gone unpunished because they are difficult to prosecute and prove. Despite the international laws in place, questions have been raised about the effectiveness of criminalization as a means for controlling environmental crimes. New advancements in green criminology can address such issues. References Bricknell, S 2010, ‘Environmental crime in Australia’, Australian Institute of Criminology, viewed 15 October 2010,http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/rpp/100-120/rpp109.aspx. Carrabine , E, Cox, P, Lee, M, Plumber, K & South, N 2009, Criminology: A sociological introduction, Routledge, Oxon. Harold, RS &Kitchen, T 2002, Planning for crime prevention: A Trans-Atlantic perspective, Routledge, London. Lanier, M & Henry, S 2010, Essential criminology, 3rd edn, Westview, Boulder. Sherman, LW 2002, Evidence-based crime prevention, Routledge, Canberra. Siegel, L 2009, Introduction to criminal justice, Macmillan, Sydney. Wakefield, A & Fleming, J 2009, The sage dictionary of policing, Sage, London. Read More